Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (JoeMazzello!JohnDeacon fanfic)

one hundred and three

soo here's me apologising because i do not have a full chapter for Now We're Here. i'm hoping to have it ready for tomorrow though! xx

Roxanne and John don't really get visitors all that often. Other than Roger, Becca or the rest of the band, no one called round their place.

Especially not at two in the morning.

Roxanne had been the one who heard someone at the door, just hearing their knocking over the rain that was hitting the windows of their bedroom and while she'd been all ready to wake John, she realised that if it was somebody trying to break in, they wouldn't be knocking, would they? And so she leaves her husband sleeping soundly, tiptoeing to the window so she can try and see who it is.

She would recognise those curls anywhere.

Looking over her shoulder once more to check that John is still sleeping, she leaves the room and heads downstairs to open the door, "Brian?"

He's got a bag with him, worrying Roxanne further and as the rain starts getting heavier, she quickly ushers him in.

"I'm sorry, Roxy," he says quietly, "I didn't know where else to go Rog and Becca are gone to see his folks. Freddie, he'd just try and take me drinking..."

Rog pulls her sleeves over her hands after closing the door, gesturing for him to go into the living room, "It's alright, Bri. Sit down, yeah? You haven't even got a coat on."

Her mothering side comes out; humming quietly, she wraps a blanket around his slim shoulders and makes them both some tea.

"I'm sorry," he repeats when she takes the space beside him again, "I didn't wake the boys, did I?"

"No," she shakes her head, "Those two would sleep through an earthquake."

He lets out a quiet laugh, "Okay, good."

"Now," Roxy pulls her legs up onto the couch, "What's going on, Bri?"

"It's Kayla," he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well, me and Kayla."

"Okay," she takes a sip of her tea.

"We've ended things."

Now that, that is was something Roxanne thought she'd ever hear him say, "What?"

He nods, "I knew that it's been over for a while now. I think we both knew but neither of us wanted to admit it."

"What happened?"

"We just...we were always arguing and I think the distance is what put the final nail in the coffin. I'm gone all the time and she couldn't exactly come with me. Not when she has the shop." he shakes his head, "I really thought she was it, Rox. That we would have what you and John have, Rog and Becca too but it was just..."

Roxanne puts her mug down and scoots across the couch so she can rest her head on his shoulder, feeling him rest his head against hers, "I'm sorry, Brian."

He sighs again, "I was just too late to fix it."

They sit in silence until Brian finishes his tea and he glances at the clock to see that it's now 2:30.

"Shit," he whispers, "Shit, Rox, I'm sorry. I should've gone straight to a hotel. I'm sorry for waking you."

"Bri, Brian," she stands when he does, putting her hand on his shoulders, "Brian, stop. You're staying here tonight."

He drops his bag again and wraps his arms around her, "You're such a mum."

She pulls back with a grin, "I gotta look after my boys, don't I?"

Brian changes in the bathroom while she gets the couch ready for him, getting a proper duvet and pillow from the linen cupboard and she makes sure that the fire is still burning -  she knows how cold it can get down here.

"Yep," she looks up at Brian as he steps back into the room, "Definitely a mum."

"Oh, hush," Roxanne waves a hand, raising an eyebrow, "Would you like me to tuck you in?"

He laughs, "No, that's fine. But Rox, seriously? Thank you."

"We're always here for you, Brian." she gives his arm a light pat as she passes by, "Goodnight."

Returning back to their bedroom, she quietly climbs back into bed, startling somewhat when John speaks, "Were you talking to someone?"

"Brian's here," she murmurs as she settles back down beside him.

"He is? Is he alright?"

"I'll tell you in the morning," she promises.

++|++

As she said, before they got up, Roxanne filled John in on what happened and like her, he too was surprised that Brian and Kayla were no more.

Like always, Arthur was their real wake up call and when he comes darting through the door, he jumps up onto the bed, landing right on John's stomach.

"Jesus Christ," he groans as Roxy giggles.

"Alright, buddy be careful with dad, yeah?"

"Sorry, daddy!" Arthur cheers, "Mummy, can we have pankcakes?"

Pancakes were supposed to be for special occasions only but Roxy agrees, maybe a decent breakfast would make Brian's day better - even if it was just a little bit.

The little boy lets out a gasp when she helps him down the stairs, seeing Brian's legs sticking off the end of the couch and he leaves Roxanne to go take a peek.

"Mummy," he begins when he follows her into the kitchen a couple of minutes later, "Why is Uncle Brian sleeping on the couch?"

"Uhh," she gets the pan down from the cupboard. She doesn't quite know how to explain this, "He and auntie Kayla said goodbye to each other last night."

Yeah, that was a shit explanation.

"Oh. Will you ever say goodbye to me?"

Roxanne looks down at him. He's staring up at her with his big, beautiful eyes and she shakes her head, dropping to her knees so she can wrap her arms around him, "No. I will never say goodbye to you, my love. I promise."

"Okay!" he chirps and she watches as he runs off into the living room once more, standing beside the couch where he watches Brian, who's still sleeping with Amos curled up on top of him.

That was far too heavy for eight o'clock in the morning.

Arthur stares at Brian for a good five minutes until he wakes and Roxanne sees him jump when he realises the little boy's close proximity.

"Look who else is awake," John announces as he carries ten-month-old Theo down the stairs as Brian sits up on the couch, "Morning, Brian."

"John," the guitarist greets before he gets up, stretching his long arms above his head.

"Do you want some pancakes, Bri?" Roxanne asks, having to yell over the noise that is coming from the two boys.

Mornings were always a little bit chaotic in the Deacon house and that was just with two kids. Neither John nor Roxanne could imagine how loud it'd be with more little ones.

Theo crawls around after Arthur, who's playing with his toy cars and when breakfast is ready, he insists on sitting beside Brian, where he tells the older man all about how his blue car is his favourite this week (it goes faster than the other ones) and he asks if Brian will play with him later on.

And this, this is what he wants. He wants a wife, maybe a couple of kids...he wants a family.

++|++

so, some of you know that i have a terrible habit of forgetting characters and sadly, Kayla has joined that long, long list and so i thought that the only thing i could do so it didn't happen all the time, was have them break up 🙃